Saturday, November 9, 2013

Does anyone remember when our government was “of the people; by the people and for the people?”

Ah the good old days!

Anyone?

Buehler?

Me neither!

We have shrunk not the size of government but rather the number of people the government helps.

And at the same time the people who are elected to govern rail against programs for the masses, which elected them, claiming that to implement any social programs would cause them to stop lowering taxes and actually raise them!

Republicans say they want government out of healthcare but they offer absolutely no alternative other than telling everyone to fend for themselves.

First do harm - Then deny?

Not only is it heartless it is quite hypocritical since they and their families have essentially the best healthcare available paid for by you and me!

A rallying cry from the right, which is invariably wrong is, “Government must not decide my healthcare. They don’t know me and I don’t want someone who doesn't know me making my healthcare decisions!”

Of course that is exactly what we have now with impersonal bean-counting accountants and actuarial nerds in non-windowed rooms deciding how cost effective it would be to allow us to have blood tests that could save our lives.

What if those tests or procedures cost too much? Will we make back what we pay out with increased premiums? If not then we must deny the claim.

Republicans are for the people but never really state which people that might be.

After years, no decades of giving billionaires, both individuals and corporations tax breaks there is little money left to do half the things America needs to get done.

And of course those non-tax-paying corporations are considered people since the conservative filled Supreme Court handed down one of the worst decisions ever in their ‘Citizens United’ ruling.

No one likes paying higher taxes but it is the price modern societies must pay to to protect their way of life.

We all want:

To be able to safely drive on our roads and bridges

Have police forces that serve and protect

Have watchdog agencies keep an eye on the food industry so the food we eat won’t harm us or worse;

And of course our homeland must be kept reasonably safe from real foreign threats of terror.

All these things we as a modern society and arguably the greatest and wealthiest nation in the world hold as entitlements exist and can only be funded by our tax dollars. And the right wing of our government has made it their second most important job (behind de-funding anything President Obama proposes) to see that those tax dollars come out of the pockets of only the middle class and poor!

Is it Nero or Cruz?

If this absurd path toward oligarchic rule is not altered we as a nation are headed the way of the old Roman Empire.

One wonders which TPOTTY member will take out his fiddle while that happens?Maybe all of them will join in as the ship of state sinks into fiscal obscurity.

We must remember that the wealthy who have abdicated all responsibility when it comes to helping hundreds of millions of Americans live healthy lives as they head into their so-called golden years can pick up and move anywhere they choose on the globe.

In the 5 full years since the Democrats won and re-won the White House how many job bills have been passed and sent on to the Senate by the Republican stronghold of the House of Representative?And just who do those elite and ‘deaf to the cries of the middle class and poor’ House Republicans really represent?

Certainly not me.

And I am certain they do not represent the bulk of the people who continue to vote for them, aka their constituency!

And in those same five years how many times have they voted to overturn a law that was even upheld by THEIR Supreme Court?

FORTY SIX TIMES and counting they have tried to de-fund the Affordable Care Act! The very same act they proposed before President Obama was in office! And at the same time they have given no alternative other than the same old tired hypocritical words.

The rhetoric of personal responsibility rings hollow in the ears of anyone with a brain yet they stay the course.

Up to now they have paid no political price for their anti-American stance. We as a nation must not allow this to last.

Remember in November and then every November after that and keep shrinking not the size of government but rather the Republican stronghold on it and on our future until they either come back to reality or are gone the way of the Whigs.

We are in a war and unless we defeat the Republican right wing we the people, and I include them, are doomed!

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Big business has always had many tactics to increase profits. But little by little they have found a cool way
to get blood from a stone and squeeze every last bit of moisture out of a dry
sponge. They don’t want you to notice
until it’s too late. I call this tactic
Divide, Separate and Profit!

DSP is a simple thing really and I am surprised it took so
long for the greedy bastards to completely espouse its use! But now that they have it it is de rigueur in
the business arena.

Here’s how it works:

Say you are in the home owners’ insurance business and you have
maximized your client base.

You may get a few more suckers here and there but frankly
the only way to keep making more profit is to expand that which you cover or insure.
(I am leaving out the obvious way of merely denying al claims since that is
business as usual.)

Step one, have some clever attorney or
accountant hide in a room and comb over policies you write, including the tiny
almost invisible small print.

Come up with some notable omissions.

Turn them into codicils to be sold as if new
coverage.

This was done when suddenly every insurance company started
to offer the homeowner flood insurance. Since then the flood of new ways to
squeeze consumers hit the market.

It was always included before just not actually written as
such.

For example other types of DSP already in existence are “Renters
insurance” and coverage for “Off Premises Theft (OPT.)”

OPT makes me laugh because simple analyses will show what a
fraud this one is!

Say you live on Long Island and your friend lives in
Brooklyn and the two of you vacation TOGETHER in Ohio or anywhere other than
New York.

Sadly while you both are out visiting the Rock and Roll HOF
a burglar breaks into your hotel room and steals all your stuff. Geico (personal experience) will not cover
the possessions of the Brooklyn-ite but will do so for the Long Islander.

The reasoning behind this dichotomy is that Brooklyn has
more crime than does Long Island. BUT NEITHER OF YOU WERE EVEN IN NEW YORK WHEN THE EVENT TOOK PLACE! THAT’S
WHY IT’S CALLED OFF-PREMISES!!!

However throwing logic out as an argument to corporations or
even people and especially those in the T-Potty is a waste of time.

Airlines started using DSP a few years ago. We all encounter this bit of covert trickery
when we check our luggage!

Some airlines now charge more for seats on the aisle; next
to a window or near a bulkhead.

Pennies to Pee? S/B E-Z Pass

One brazen bunch of bastards even tried to tax toilet visits
by charging you money to pee.

What could possibly be next, “Oh you wish to sit during the
flight???”

Luggage may be a bit heavier than it should be and for that
I can see a small surcharge. So what
about the man travelling without luggage who weighs in at 400 pounds?

Just Get Me There Alive!

Remember when the ads used to say “Getting there is half the
fun?” Now all we want is to have a tiny
bit of comfort and arrive alive and close to on-time!

I fear the time when every single industry has this ala
carte mentality for that which used to be bundled.

“What do you mean the shirt doesn't come with buttons?”

“Sir, you only rented a car and you did sign the
agreement. If you note in the small
print the steering wheel is extra!”

“Of course you voted for me but now that I am here I must
keep my job. That means kowtowing to
wealthy people only. Unless, wait, is that a wad of bribe money in your pocket
or are just happy to see me?”

The country has been hi-jacked by big business and being
held hostage by its puppets in Congress.
They have been working toward this moment for years and the current important
DSP involves removing healthcare insurance FROM YOU!

Monday, September 30, 2013

Throughout history people have understood that we reap that which we sow so is it any wonder that there is more anger in the air, more frustration than ever before?Little by little this anger can be seen as a creeping weed invading the once plentiful garden of our country.We see it in the words used in twitter to describe anyone not totally in agreement with our opinion. I have fallen into the trap myself and use so called bad words speaking about the right wing and conservatives of our Nation.But to be fair and to use a childish refrain, they started it!Now I realize that is no excuse to join them in the muck and mire of name calling but at some point the frustration of seeing the country and all the good people who deserve better getting less and less becomes a strain on the walls of civility's dam.We elect men and women to office that we feel have integrity to do what's the best for America, be it the entire country or our State or even local county.But instead of public service the job these people have decided is utmost on their agenda is raking in more money and getting reelected.When I hear every Republican and especially members of their neo radical right wing aka the Tea Party refer to members of the party on the left side of the aisle as "My Democrat opponent" he or she is doing so from a script that says you must always demean them.In case you don't know the use of the phrase or word Democrat in place of the correct term, Democratic is a childish attempt to use a word that rhymes with rat.It is from the same right wing brain that tried to and is still trying to kill the affordable care act when they dubbed it Obamacare. They felt tying it to the one person they so despised that it makes them lose sight of not only the big picture but any picture was a good strategy!Now we have a new insidious self-serving creature to deal with. A freshman Senator in Congress who fashions himself a new sort of savior for the country. He is using a mixture of McCarthy and (I hesitate to use the name so I will only hint at it) a former evil dictator of Germany to get his way.And I say his way because that is exactly what it is, HIS WAY!And those two words are the first part of what has become the Tea Party's mantra, Our Way or the highway!Sadly their way is the LOW way as it could in fact bring down government. It most certainly will bring the government to a standstill and hurt a majority of people who do not seem to understand or remember the ramifications of what happens when good people don't stop bad people from doing bad things.One thought looms large when thinking of this group of nay-sayers on the far right and that is, if you really hate government and want to shrink it to the size of a pea so you can flush it down the toilet one would think a job in government might not be your wisest choice!But once again it is important to realize these people don't care about anyone but themselves so ruining government IS their end game. And in some delusional way they feel once that is accomplished the country will beat a path to their door for guidance on what to do next!However I do not think anyone is completely evil in every respect, nor do i think anyone is completely without fault, except for me of course. Therefore I know that the junior Senator from Texas and many of his colleagues probably have some good points here and there.

When will we learn from history???This type of evil maniacal bastard CANNOTbe allowed to take over America again!!!

But I also know that they are going about it the wrong way.As anyone with children will tell you temper tantrums rarely work out well for anyone involved but especially not for the one throwing the tantrum! After a while the sane rational thinking parents will push back. In this case we already see the less radical members of the Republican Party basically telling Cruz to shut up and let them do their jobs, such as it were.As for America in this era of nearly total Tea Party takeover of the terrible Republican Party if things do not change what will be sown will only delight the GRIM reaper.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

One of the phrases that always bothered me when opposites of
the political stage debated was, “And as you know…”

It says to the audience that what is about to be said by the
speaker is a well known fact and his opponent is quite aware of it!

It is an annoying tactic that works because the public is
basically uneducated, at least in whatever the basis for the debate is, and the
speaker knows it!

I have a friend who loves to provoke by always saying the
opposite of what I am putting forth.
Sometimes he deliberately takes a silly stance that goes off on a tangent
from what we were discussing thus deflecting the conversation completely.

He does it for fun and while it irks me I know it does
neither of us any harm.

And this brings me to the current year in politics or rather
last decade or so and certainly since President Obama was elected the first
time.

Other than personal monetary gain from their wealthy owners harm is the only thing on the minds of the Republican Party.

They have been saying and doing such a multitude of outrageous things that it is
almost impossible to recall all of them let alone write them down in this post.

And even if I could write every one of them down I doubt
anyone in today’s sound bite twitter mentality would have the patience to read
it or even understand it before nodding off.

The world does not need another War and Peace novel,
although this would be non-fiction, and they know it!

So let’s get down to some of the most glaring bits of right
wing bull cocky that they know are downright lies.

BIRTHERISM:Obama is not an American and his Presidency should be nullified.

President Obama was not only born of an American
woman the birth took place in Hawaii.
Counter to popular belief among the members of the vastly under-educated T-Party Hawaii is and, at the time of the blessed event, was an American State. AND THEY KNOW IT!

GLOBAL WARMING IS A HOAX:Many Republicans in Congress have gone so far as to say that claims of global warming is the greatest hoax ever played on citizens of this country.

One must assume the Congressman, one James Inhofe (R-OK) is forgetting his own party making believe they are governing!

This one will affect every living
organism, human or otherwise which possibly excludes some politicians on the right.

The scientific
community has shown over and over again that the major cause of our current
rise in worldwide temperatures is increased CO2 in the atmosphere and that is
the result of man-made machinery and the burning of fossil fuels. And yet almost to a man (woman) in the Republican Party they deny it. But do they believe their own denials? Global warming IS real! AND THEY KNOW IT!

SHARIA LAW MUST NOT BE ALLOWED IN AMERICA!

Seriously? Are they truly worried we will adopt it here?

Religion is for personal comfort and not to be used in
Government. The so-called Party of Family Values values neither family nor really any religion! The right wing members with
several wives, not all at the same time perhaps and a multitude of mistresses
would rather pander to the deluded public who believe in the talking snake
rather than admit there is no such thing and never has been. AND THEY KNOW IT!

PRESIDENT OBAMA CAUSED THE DEFICIT TO RISE. Under his leadership we now owe more than ever before and we are headed for a fiscal cliff.

Uh, no,
and in fact the deficit has gone down under his guidance. And the Democratic Party has tried to do even more but has been blocked at every turn. (I apologize to all the RWNJs out there for using the word ‘fact.’ They seem to consider it a four letter word.) Under Bush and most Republican Presidents the deficit has gone up while under most Democratic Presidents it goes down! AND THEY KNOW IT!

VOTER FRAUD IS RAMPANT AND NEEDS TO BE STOPPED!

We cannot allow outsiders from other States to vote in our elections. Their radical ideas will harm our way of life!

In every State where Republicans hold the majority such as North Carolina voting restrictions are being placed on any group of voters shown to lean toward Democratic candidates.

Photo IDs such as gun licenses are okay but student IDs are not. If a college student wishes to vote in NC the parents must pay a fee. This is called a poll tax. It's absurd, unnecessary and basically against the Constitution of the United States of America. But the kicker is that statistics show the number of possible yet unconfirmed fraudulent attempts to vote is 0.0002 percent. AND THEY KNOW IT!

WHERE ARE THE JOBS Mr. PRESIDENT?

Unemployment, which rose so drastically while the war
mongering pair of Cheney & Bush sat on the throne, has consistently gone
down while President Obama has been in the White House. And these numbers have continued their downward trend to the utter dismay of the Republicans. The blatant opposition by the Republicans and their
hypocritical leader Boehner to any jobs bill proposal is awe inspiring in it's evil intent. AND THEY KNOW IT!

TAXES ARE KILLING BUSINESS IN AMERICA!

It's time for the takers to start contributing to the country's economy!

This absurd notion while
blocking any attempt to raise the minimum wage on those who really need the
money is perhaps one of the most insidious of their odious demands. The real takers of America are the members of Congress who take a paycheck and do absolutely nothing but stir the fires of hate and promote fear while accepting bribes from the very business leaders they claim are going broke! AND THEY KNOW IT!

OBAMA KEEPS TWEAKING THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT or ACA SHOWING IT IS WEAK AND NO GOOD!

This is one is actually easy, at least on the premise they put forth. Tweaking it
before full implementation is not only NOT a sign of weakness but the American way! Every bill ever talked about or enacted into
law has been tweaked including our Constitution which as I recall has a whole bunch of, what are they called again? Oh yeah, AMENDMENTS!! AND THEY KNOW IT!

Could it be they have nothing else and once again have to
resort to lies?

In a word, and as always, YES!

But while calling them liars may not be nice do you think they
know they are lying?

OF COURSE!

If not then they would be truly stupid and their dumb utterances would necessitate their ouster from office. Their out and out intended lies are well thought out and are able
to fool uneducated voters into electing them over and over again!

If every member of the Republican Party and right wingers were
told that if caught in a political lie they’d face the death penalty we might
never hear another word out of their mouths and conservative talk radio would
finally be off the air for good!

And that is the main problem with politics today.

Politicians, especially on the radical right
side of every aisle in the country pander and say things that are so ridiculous
as to elicit dumbfounded looks from anyone with half a brain.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

The title of this post is an oft used comeback against someone who says
something you think is outrageous or at least insincere.

But many do put their money where their mouths are or at
least where they silently want everyone else’s mouths to be.

I am speaking of the silent majority of political backers
also known as lobbyists.

These days the more money some people have the more they
want and they’ll do anything to get it.
And if it means hurting or harming a majority of others to reach their
goal so be it!

The bottom line IS their bottom line and money is the way they
keep score.Today my newspaper showed three candidates running for county supervisor but a quick glance merely showed their photos and the amount of money they have collected in donations. The subliminal message was clearly we do not need to vote because the man with the most will most likely win! And sadly the trend of putting the worst man or woman for the job in place will most likely continue.

Of course power enters into the equation as well but without
money you may find yourself powerless.

Grass roots movements are definitely not a thing of the past
but certainly not as powerful as they used to be and that is by design. And the designers are those in power and
those with enough money to keep them there.

President Obama won his first election by obtaining an
incredible amount of money with which he was able to get his message across. He did this with a grass roots organization that collected enough small donations to make the total impressive even by today's standards.

You can be the smartest person in the world and have the
best ideas for the most people alive but without money or backers with cash
your message remains in your dreams.

The Republican Party is nothing if they are not deviously
smart and they see how to keep or get power in America.

Most of the candidates on the proverbial right side of the aisle
probably do not believe half the things they say or promote, at least one can
hope, but they know their constituents do so they say them.

But the real problem in America today lies in the wallets of
the wealthiest greedy power hungry few who spend millions like most of us spend
quarters.

These quiet behind the scenes types are insidious. They know how to dangle their bait in front of
unscrupulous politicians afraid of losing a seat in Congress and thus having to
actually work for a living!

Their money allows the words they wish to say to come out of
their puppets mouths.

If every American of the so-called 98% group donated one
dollar to the same cause it would amount to around $300,000,000! That is approximately half the amount Sheldon
Adelson threw away backing the Mittster in the 2012 Presidential campaign And
he is promising to double it going forward!

Now admittedly he has only one vote and the 98%ers have
around 200 million votes assuming everyone went to the polls next time so he
could easily be outvoted but… (I left out those under the voting age.)

Let’s face it, there are too many among us in the country that
have little knowledge of what is going on in government and many more who just
don’t care. Then there are the ones who
actually believe the crap spewed by the puppets of Adelson and friends. And his friends while not that many have
wealth nearly beyond belief!

Take the Koch brother, Please!

The basically useless Koch boys inherited daddy’s business
and starting from the humble amount of billions have been able to make even
more billions in their effort to pollute the world. Their causes are generally
bad ones for the future of mother Earth but they know they’ll be long gone
before our children and grandchildren have to wear gas masks and protective
clothing and move to higher ground merely to survive so they continue their quest
for more money at all cost!

And they too donate and donate wildly.

One such donation was recently uncovered as David tried to
block a PBS documentary entitled Citizen Koch.
An obvious reference to one of the greatest films of all time, Orson
Welles’ Citizen Kane which was about a ruthless wealthy man hell bent on having
his views become those of the world. The
movie was a loosely veiled shout out against Citizen Hearst and clearly not a
love note.And with the money flowing the Republican Party has turned to voter suppression as an additional way to secure a long future in power for their wealthy backers.In other words the more their money helps their mouths speak the less they listen to yours!Be afraid - Be VERY afraid!

So how can we stop the creeping creepy creeps who flaunt
their wealth and get their way by silently pulling strings in the public
sector?

Well for one when we hear a politician say something odd or
espouse a cause that may not be right for the majority of Americans we can look
to see from whose mouth the words are actually emanating. Follow the money back to its source.

Then ask yourself if you would want that puppet master to
run your City or State or you America.

The answer will most likely be a resounding no!

Then use your hand next Novemberand every November from now
on to put your vote where your head is!

Saturday, August 3, 2013

And now a brief interlude from the every day drama of politics.What better way to forget about the insanity of DC and the unbelievably evil way the Repub Party is treating the office of the President of the United States than taking a trip into the past. The nearly carefree past of "Dirty Dancin" and weekends at the shore?Or better yet, a weekend in the Catskills!!Trust the BBC to air this wonderful collection of laughs!And while the jokes may be old, strike that - While the jokes ARE old the not so old people telling them are as young as they feel.And do they feel old?Oy, don't ask!Turn on the sound and enjoy Old Jews Telling Jokes!(IF IT STARTS IN THE MIDDLE PAUSE IT AND MOVE IT BACK TO THE BEGINNING! WELL WORTH IT!)

Sunday, July 28, 2013

In Hauppauge Long Island recently there was a rally to
protest New York’s new and tighter gun control law.

That law is Governor Cuomo's so-called Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement so named so that the acronym can be SAFE!

Take your pick from this packof packing pickled peckers

The attendees of the rally were members
of different groups all with one common objective, to preserve the second
amendment and protest any infringement on their rights to own fire arms.

The group argued that government officials in DC and particularly
New York should stop violating their second amendment right to own weapons.
They should instead be addressing the issue of overall gun violence in America.

They also claimed that the only reason the massacre of so
many innocent 6 and 7 year old children in that Connecticut school remained a
hot topic in the media was because it was a rarity!

This last statement was made by the president of the "Shooters Committee on Political Education" based in the upstate town of Colden. (His groups does not have a cool sounding acronym so in many ways he loses!)

These groups only want their rights protected and all the amendments
of our Constitution upheld.

We all want laws to protect us and applaud the fact that our
Constitution is a living breathing entity that has rightfully been amended
through the years as changes in society dictate.

In fact the very first amendment written to that centuries
old document allows for just the type of demonstration the gun advocates held.

Freedom of speech in our country is a fundamental right but
I would put forth that so is life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

However without digressing too much I would like to address the
two main points made by the Long Island gun owners during their rally.

First point is I believe most of us have evolved past the
point where we can actually do more than one thing at a time. In other words
there is no reason to stop seeking tighter gun controls and institute better
background checks on prospective gun owners while at the same time addressing the
underlying cause of gun violence in America.
We could probably also chew gum at the same time.

I believe the poor economy and high unemployment numbers
teamed up with the ever widening gap between the profits taken by owners of businesses
and the wages they pay the workers who enable them to make their money has
caused severe frustration. And
frustration leads to some people feeling the need to strike out and strike back
at anyone and everything in their way.

Frustration or the feeling that you are no longer in control
of your situation is the same as backing a tiger into a corner. How long will the beast stay in place before
lashing out?

As for the latest school massacre it was most certainly not
a rarity in America. Anyone who says or
feels that it was has either a very short memory or a card showing them to be
faithful NRA member.

And the weapons used to commit the awful crime were obtained
legally by the mother of the mentally ill perpetrator.

Perhaps a background check might have turned up the fact
that she was incapable of securing her unnecessary arsenal away from her soon
to be homicidal offspring!

Tighter regulations could have allowed the now deceased
woman to still buy her weapons but also mandated a course or two in safe and
secure storage.

Of course we’ll never know what kind of safety procedure she
followed since she was her son’s first victim.

Guns may not kill people but they sure as shooting
help. Imagine someone walking into a
store without one, aiming his finger at the clerk and shouting “Bang!” He may not come out with stolen goods but he
will also not have a rap sheet.

It's funny that the rallying cry of the National Rifle Ass has become, "From My Cold Dead Hands!" Funny because they are always the ones still standing and the cold dead hands are those of their victims!

The bottom line here is an old one. No one, not the U S Government nor especially
President Obama, is coming to take away your guns although in many cases the
country would be a far safer place if it would.
And anyone who believes they need a gun to stop the government from
intruding or trespassing on their property should seek immediate help!

First of all no amount of hand guns or personal weapons could
stop the United States armed forces from getting to you if it so desired.

Secondly there is no reason why the United States armed forces
should want to waste their time coming after you! Or is there?

We are a nation of diverse cultures and even more diverse
beliefs and needs. There are a
tremendous number of personal pressing issues we deal with every day but not
everyone’s list has these issues in the same order.

Personally I go along with our nation’s founding fathers
when it comes to my wishes.

I strive for life, continued health for me and my family
along with liberty and a successful, fruitful pursuit of happiness. And I believe we can seek that future without
the need of guns.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

There are many clever phrases we use to describe how we act
in or to various situations. One might
claim ‘you cannot see the forest for the trees’ or you ‘Should not stick your
pen in the company inkwell.’

We are all familiar with at least some of these and perhaps
drop one or two in our daily lives.

Words can and are used to provoke a desired response.

For example a preacher rouses a crowd or a politician his
base with words about sin or how the other guy sucks (five-letter word!) These egoists look to gain power or wealth
with their oratory and hold it with words of fear.

But one thing has not changed much in America and that is our use of and
reaction to curse words!

Many people are terribly offended by so-called four letter
words and lump all they dislike into a group known as profanity or obscenity.

But why should four letters strung together offend so
terribly? After all they are just words
and didn’t we all grow up knowing that ‘Stick and stones may break my bones but
words can never harm me?’

Recently I descended into an angry state after listening to
certain politicians from a certain party rail against our current President and
anything he puts forward or suggests for America.

The absurd uncalled for hate spewing from the mouths of
these lesser beings, these undeserving elected officials caused me to snap. I sent out a tweet that described the speaker
as a nasty stinking four-letter word.

I was almost immediately greeted by a prim and proper prissy
individual who replied his or her intent to ‘block me’ if I continued to use
such obscene language.

Aside from the fact that it would mean one less person at my
funeral I was not too upset over losing a ‘follower’ who frankly I did not even
know I had.

But it did bring me to an interesting thought.

In our current ‘gang that couldn’t shoot straight’ world we
seem to constantly focus on the wrong side or part of an issue. That is assuming it’s an issue to begin with!

So I decided to find out what exactly the definition of obscenity
is?

According to the old standard, at least for me in my youth,
the Merriam Webster Dictionary defines obscenity as:

All of the synonyms describing obscenity are mainly words describing
a sex act generally considered as taboo by those with mentalities stuck in the Dark
or Middle Ages.

Some of the words are silly by today’s standard and probably
DO come from that time.

I mean how many of you use the word ‘bawdiness’ anymore?

But examine these words under the microscope of the ‘sticks and stones’ adage and think of another even more apropos saying, ‘Actions speak
louder than words’ and you realize how absurd the whole thing is!

So to those of you who feel that a four-letter word is the
most terrible obscene thing the world can endure I offer the following list for
your edification of what obscenity truly is?

Children
going hungry in the richest country in the world

People
forced to work two or three jobs at minimum wage with little or no
benefits just to survive

War

Blatant
racism

Denying
healthcare to anyone not wealthy enough to have their own personal trainer

Greedy
billionaires caring only about getting more money any way they can and at
the expense of anyone standing in their way!

Congressmen
or women allowing lobbies to dictate or buy their votes

Gunmen
massacring children (I was going to say innocent children but really that
is redundant!)

Large
corporations spoiling our environment with pollution or oil spills then
taking out ads telling us how wonderful they are.

Bankers
and Wall Street CEOs causing economic disaster; being bailed out with no
strings attached then starting the cycle of bad behavior over again

Government
officials taking bribes to do the bidding of special interest groups

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

In a surprise move today the New York Mets announced they will be unloading their star pitcher Matt Harvey to the Yankees in exchange for 5 draft choices, a player to be named later and $17.50 to cover their subway fare.While full details are not yet available this reporter has learned that the player to be named later is in fact just that as he is not yet born!However the team is confident he will grow into a fine player and become an integral part of the organization as the Yankees insist he will be from good stock.The surrogate mom will be impregnated later this year in a private ceremony attended only by close family members and a group from Shake Shack.Fred Wilpon, NY Met owner and long time friend of Bernie Madoff had been hoping to acquire the rights to Lou Gherig until someone pointed out the former Yankee great had passed away several years ago.This utterance caused Hal Steinbrenner to storm out of the room muttering that some people should "keep their God damn #*@$& mouths shut!"Met ownership used the break in talks to sign a different first baseman to a 5 year deal.Jeff Wilpon was not completely convinced his father had made the right move but he admitted he felt inclined to defer to the experience of age."My dad assures me Marvelous Marv Throneberry will be a great asset to the team."Although they had wanted the former Met to take over for slugging star Ike Davis at 1st base Mr. Throneberry insisted that he was a touch old for that and the team would be far better served if he used as adviser and coach for the youngsters on the team.Said Fred Wilpon, "With his guidance we are certain the New York Mets can return to the glory days of 1962 and '63."For those of you too young to remember Marv Throneberry let me set the record straight on a bit of unfair publicity.As the story goes Marv was so bad that after striking out he got angry, threw his bat down, and missed the ground.The story is an insult and as false as it is ridiculous. He never threw his bat!It was his helmet!After learning who their crosstown rivals had signed the Yankee contingent returned with huge grins and renewed expectations of finishing a great trade."I think we can now get this steal, I mean deal, deal done," said young Mr. Steinbrenner fighting back tears of laughter.A few minutes later the proud Wilpon family emerged from the locked room holding up a signed agreement between the two organizations."Some of you have asked why we made this deal. Well all I can say is we have seen what our team does with so-called stars like (Jose) Reyes, (R A) Dickey and (Nolan) Ryan in the past and we do not wish to keep making the same mistake over and over expecting great things. That's the definition of stupid you know! So today we have made a giant step toward fielding a team of 'no names' who will want desperately to succeed as though they were exceptional.This should make the team far more interesting while endearing ourselves to our loyal fan base. These fans need to feel good about themselves and what better way to help them do that than fielding a team that they are actually better than?"Asked about the future of his current star 3rd baseman Mr. Wilpon added, "We signed David (Wright) to a long term contract and until we can find a team willing to take him off our hands we're stuck with him. Next question?"Silence ensued and there were no next questions as reporters were stunned by the response and the meeting ended.

Friday, May 17, 2013

While Congress and our so-called leaders debate who caused what or who spied on whom or who can we blame for whatever we don't agree with corporations are continuing to rape American consumer any way they see fit! And while this goes on the charade that is the Republican Majority in the House of Congress will once again try to repeal the health care bill aimed at helping the average citizen!A perfect example came today in my cell phone bill from AT&T which included a slight increase, as always!I decided to have an on-line chat with an AT&T agent about this latest slap at a long time moron, I mean customer.What appears below is that chat. Please read it and see if it rings true with your experience dealing with impersonal corporations these days.

Thank you for your patience!

Your
AT&T Representative will be with you shortly.

Welcome! You are now chatting with
'I removed the name lest the person be fired for possible honesty'

BRUCE M RESCH:Hi AT&T Person

AT&T Person:Hi Bruce, I can help you with the charges on your
account.

BRUCE M RESCH:My bill has been $197.82 for ages and while it's way too
high for the actual service provided at least it was a constant. Now the bill is over $200 and it looks as though the
rise was merely a BWC increase. Is that true?

AT&T Person:I can have that check for you. Let me review your bill.

BRUCE M RESCH:ok

AT&T Person:Please give me 2-3 minutes to run through your bill.

BRUCE M RESCH:sure

AT&T Person:Thank you for waiting. Upon reviewing your account, I found out that your
monthly bill is always $197.99.

AT&T Person:The reason why your bill went up to $200.70 is because
of the additional fee that was being charged to each of your line.

BRUCE M RESCH:An additional fee for what may I ask?

AT&T Person:If you will take a look on your bill, each line has a
corresponding surcharges and other fees.

BRUCE M RESCH:yes I see that

AT&T Person:The additional fee that was added on each line was the
Administrative fee which costs $0.61.

BRUCE M RESCH:So I was right, It's a BWC

AT&T Person:What is BWC?

BRUCE M RESCH:BWC stands for "Because We Can!" It's a fee charged by all
large impersonal anti-human corporations to make even more money for doing
nothing and causing those of us who must go along with their greed to suffer. In
other words, bullshit!

AT&T Person:I understand you. But the the Administrative fee covers
a small portion of certain expenses AT&T incurs, including but not limited
to: Charges AT&T or its agents pay to interconnect with other carriers to
deliver calls from AT&T customer to their customers Costs and charges
associated with cell site rents and maintenance

BRUCE M RESCH:Did you actually type that with a straight face? Forget it - I cannot beat you guys. But when I decide to
leave because your inane unfair extra fees are too much you will NEVER get me
back no matter what you do.

BRUCE M RESCH:It's truly a crock of shit! The small increase of which you speak in AT&T costs
could easily be covered by the unbelievably high rate you charge for nothing! I
am speaking of texts etc. which cost you zero! In fact you had to invent a way to keep track of texts just so you could charge for them! But as I said I can not win &
I realize it is not you personally who is at fault so I'm done here - Have a nice
life.

AT&T Person:I understand where you're coming from. That's the
initial reaction of most of our customers when they learned about this fee.

BRUCE M RESCH:I wonder why!

BRUCE M RESCH:Most Americans have not gotten a raise in years but AT&T & others like you continue to raise fees and make more profits and hand over our
hard earned money to a bunch of useless shits at the top of the corporation who
think only of how to make even more money on the backs of the customer. As I said - This is not personal but THEY are
criminals!

AT&T Person:I understand you.
We all work hard to earn money and who does like to have their money wasted? No
one. I understand how you feel.BRUCE M RESCH:enjoy the weekend -
I'm out of here - Have to think about this situation further. Thanks

Note the line about having to pay increased costs due to connecting with other carriers. Of course those carriers are using that same bull shit line to collect their own BWCs.

The collusion is on all sides of the equation and the only ones being hurt are the customers!

If anyone cares to add all the bills they pay and track the changes in each of them since we handed control of the country over to the large corporations who now own Congress I believe they will notice the same trend toward new BWCs.

Can we stem the tide of corporate greed?

Can we get Congress on the side of the people who actually vote them into office?

Can we make it through a month without House Republicans attempting to repeal the ACA aka Obamacare?

Sadly I feel the answer is a definitive NO WAY!

But still I rant and still I complain and at least in a small way I am a thorn in the side of corporate hypocrisy.

Never turn your back on these criminals and do not let them get away with what they do without at least complaining. Who knows, maybe one day the meek really will inherit the Earth.

And by the way, when we do I'm going to hit all the bastards of the former corporate world with so many BWCs they heads'll fall off!

I SUGGEST:

SAILOR SOL (SORT OF EVERYONE'S DAD)

RECEIVING AWARDS FOR FUNDRAISING ACHIEVEMENTS AND TIRELESS EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF VETERANS

INCREDIBLY TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SO SAD WE HAVE TO LIVE IN A COUNTRY RUN BY T-PUBLICAN BASTARDS WHO MAKE HUMANS FEEL LIKE SHIT!!!!!!!

THIS JURY SHOULD'VE DECIDED THE ZIMMERMAN TRIAL!

YOU CAN FOOL MANY FLORIDIANS BUT ANIMALS KNOW! THEY KNOW.

PAYBACK'S A BITCH

ESPECIALLY TO THESE BITCHES!!!!!

Never Give Up

Never Surrender

YOU MUST PAY FOR THE BEST!

YEAH BUT IN AMERICA WE ONLY WORK, UH WAIT, OKAY BUT WE HAVE VACATIONS THAT TOTAL, WAIT, UH OK BUT WE HAVE THE BIGGEST ARSENAL OF WEAPONS IN THE WORLD! YEAH BABY, DON'T FORGET THAT! AND THE MOST HAND GUNS PER CAPITA! AND EVERYONE GETS A CHANCE TO VOTE, UH WELL ALMOST EVERYONE, UH WELL SOME GET THE CHANCE. NEVER MIND.

YUP!!!

COMIC STRIPS ARE MADE TO BE SOCIALLY REFLECTIVE AS WELL AS FUNNY - THERE IS NO BETTER FODDER THAN OUR ELECTED MORONS IN CONGRESS! WHEN THEY ARE NOT DOING NOTHING THEY ARE BLOCKING OTHERS FROM GETTING ANYTHING DONE!

SAILOR SOL (MY DAD)

BACK FROM SOUTH PACIFIC - THANKS DAD - MOST OF AMERICA THANKS YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE! RIP!!!

You will enjoy - Without a SHADOW of DOUBT!

PLEASE CLICK ON THE UNDERLINED ITALICIZED TEXT TO VIEW UNBELIEVABLY TALENTED PEOPLE WITH A VISION AND A PERSPECTIVE THAT WILL AMAZE EVEN THE MOST CYNICAL OF YOU OUT THERE! ENJOY!

TINY TROLL ALERT!

STRAP THE LITTLE FELLOW ON THE THING AND AIM FOR THE MOON. LET'S RID THE EARTH OF THIS ASSHOLE ONCE AND FOR ALL!!!!

NOT A VIDEO BUT THESE WOMEN ARE IN QUITE A FEW VIDEOS! OF THE XXX KIND. SEE THEM AS THEY REALLY LOOK - EYE OPENING!!

THIS APPEARS FURTHER DOWN THE BLOG BUT IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO SEE THAT I INCLUDED IT HERE AS WELL! WOMEN, PLEASE VIEW THIS VIDEO (MEN SHOULD TOO BUT TELLING THEM TO DO SOMETHING IS A SURE FIRE WAY FOR THEM NOT DOING IT!)

More to come as they strike my fancy! Please come back!!!

GET IT?

WE CANNEVER GET OUT FROM UNDER THE EVIL TERRORIST THUMB OF BIG OIL UNTIL WE GRANT THEM ALL PROFITS FROM ALTERNATIVE ENERGY!

SLEIGHT OF HAND

BEATS SLEIGHT OF BRAIN ALL THE TIME!!!

TRUTH

WHY DO AMERICANS NOT UNDERSTAND THIS? ARE WE THAT STUPID?????

SO SAD JOE BARTON FOOLED VOTERS!

YOU CAN BE FOR FOSSIL FUEL AND BE A BIG INVESTOR AND MAKE A FORTUNE WHEN BIG OIL GETS YOU KICK BACKS BUT DON'T MAKE UNBELIEVABLY STUPID STATEMENTS LIKE "WIND IS FINITE AND USING IT SLOWS IT DOWN! WHEN YOU DO YOU SHOW HOW UTTERLY STUPID YOU REALLY ARE AND EMBARRASS ALL HUMANITY!

SIX YEARS IN A NUTSHELL!

WHY DO VOTERS REWARD THIS UN-AMERICAN BEHAVIOR?

AN AMAZING COUNTRY!

Name the country that leads the world in technological advances.

And the country that comes up with most ingenious new ideas that help humans around the world?

Name the country that is third on the list of NASDAQ inspired companies yet hardly makes a blip on a world map.

WHO NEEDS MEDICAL CARE?

And click this because the hits just keep on coming! This moron wants even more control over women! AND NOW WE SEE HOW HYPOCRITICAL SOME REALLY ARE AS THE IDIOTS OF THE SUSAN G KOMEN FOUNDATION HAVE JOINED REPUBLICAN BASTARDS FIGHTING PLANNED PARENTHOOD!

THE REAL FREELOADERS!

WAKE UP AMERICA AND VOTE THESE BUMS OUT ON THEIR ASSES! DEMS ARE YOUR ONLY CHANCE!

SORRY LADY - NO BIRTH CONTROL FOR YOU!

OH NO - I HAVE TO THINK OF SOMETHING FAST! WAIT, I KNOW... And the rest is history!

GO AHEAD NRA

MAKE MY DAY - FOR ETERNITY!

SAVE YOUR MEMORIES!

REPUB PARTY'S WORST NIGHTMARE

AN EDUCATED ELECTORATE

THE BEST SPORTS WRITER NOBODY KNOWS!

My son writes for the GIANTS FOOTBALL BLOGand also speaks onBLOG TALK RADIOWednesday evenings with other sports writers. Just click the link "Giants Rush."
You should read and listen to this soon to be discovered gem of the sports world so you may say, "I knew him when!"

Blogger's Mission Statement

Remember that people are not persuaded by what we say but by what they understand!

Therefore be as clear and concise as possible but make sure you get your point across.

Words are but tools that are misused by fools

But if used right they can be your friend

So be not uncouth when you speak the truth

And you'll gain far more friends in the end!!!

NEW REALITY

IF REPUBLICANS WIN THIS IS WHAT'S ON THE MENU FOR AMERICANS!

NYS Recycles! Does Your State?

Such a waste.
Please help. Visit Bottlebill.org
OMG LOOK AT IT GO!!!
Every year I have been hoping we would lower the number but somehow we still dump more Earth killing plastic into the environment.
We hit 130 Billion in 2010.
Then 129.5 Billion in 2011.
In 2012 - 129.05 Billion.
2013 was back up to 129.06 Billion.
Now we are in 2015 and on pace to only toss out 129.048 Billion.
Not great but it's in the right direction.
Hop ewe lower the number before it's too late!
PLEASE DO BETTER IN 2016!

R I P Grandpa Sol (4/5/1918-4/13/2011)

IT'S FUN TO BE IN THE?

THIS IS NOT A JOKE!!!

WORK FANTASY!

NO BOSS IN AMERICA WOULD STOOP TO GIVING A WORKER A FREAKING PENNY LET ALONE A MINUTE OFF! THIS IS A CUTE CARTOON BUT IT'S ALSO SCIENCE FICTION!!!

TRUER JOKE NEVER TOLD!

This is basically what happened to me when the prick child who I worked for needed cash to renovate his duplex apartment for 5 million bucks - may he rot in f'n hell! BUT I SWEAR I'M NOT BITTER :-)

FOWL RETRIBUTION

I SWEAR IT WAS SELF DEFENSE! NOW LET'S EAT! HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYBODY!

Editor's Note:

I miss the good old days when our leaders at least made an attempt to govern. These days all they seem to do is campaign for re-election the day after they get into office! They are funded by special interest groups and multinational humongously profitable corporations who could lower our deficit drastically if they just paid their fair share of taxes.

An honest buck for an honest day's work is also a relic of the past.

And while Gordon Gekko's "Greed is good" phrase may not be politically correct it sure as hell is a political way of life!

YOU ARE HERE

AND, FOR THAT MATTER, SO AM I SO WHAT SAY WE TRY TO PRESERVE THE PLACE?

ABSOLUTE TRUTH!

HUMOR OF BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS!

WAR ON CHRISTMAS?

NAH, JUST A LITTLE FUN WITH SANTA!

America - Love it OR DIE!

Does the GOP think poor people should die?
While we in America hope that we have separated Church and State obviously that never actually happens. But when the people who run or try to run the country act like mindless uncaring barbarians should we not wish them to have just a modicum of compassion?
These people consider themselves religious?

NEVER MORE TRUE THAN NOW

WHEN WILL AMERICANS WAKE UP?

An Angel Departs Earth

One of the sweetest women I have ever had the pleasure to know passed away today (10-17-11) and the world is a terribly sadder place for it! Rest in Peace dear Wendy - If anyone deserves to do so it is surely you!

KIND OF SAYS IT ALL!

From a friend of mine in Vegas who DOES give a damn & is VERY old!

Fair & Open Mindedness Vs. Republican

Is it any wonder this nation is in severe trouble? Republicans call themselves Fair & For the People! But remember - Self praise IS NO PRAISE!

Love is Love

"Holy puppy love Batman, I hope they're not both male!" "Shut up Robin, give us a kiss!"

It's Me Bottom to Top!

About Me

I am very organized and logical, sometimes to a fault and also opinionated, as are we all. I love humor and have a strange sense of it. I try to be funny without being too stupid and annoying but sometimes fail. Perhaps too many things upset me but for the most part I try to turn them into humorous pieces.I have a great wife (attorney - Sue) and two great kids (Sara - Neuro-psychology & Rich - Writer/Blogger.)

The Name is Changed - The Thoughts are Not

For what is a man, what has he got?If not himself, then he has naught.To say the things he truly feels;And not the words of one who kneels.The record shows I took the blowsAnd posted my blog!

Good News / Bad News

FUNNY THING AS AN OLD GUY I UNDERSTAND THE GOOD NEWS PART OF THIS FAR MORE THAN THE BAD NEWS!!!

Singing None (Click Photo)

Always knew he'd get off but the song was too good to remove! Dominique nique nique - He had sex without consent - He went and raped his maid; Now his address will be jail and his roommate will be male - And each night he will get laid! (Oh well, naturally he will get off without so much as a slap on his penis. But at least I had fun with the song.)

REPUB WAR ON TERROR CONTINUES

DON'T LAUGH DILBERT - YOU'RE NEXT!!!

MITT'S FOREIGN POLICY IDEAS

THE MAN HAS NOT TOLD THE TRUTH IN 50 YEARS WHAT MAKES ANYONE THINK HE'LL START NOW? WITHOUT GOING INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL LET ME JUST SAY HE'S A SHIT! MY GRANDMA WOULD MAKE A BETTTER PRESIDENT AND SHE'S BEEN DEAD FOR 26 YEARS!